Five out of six dietary supplements ‘misbranded’: FSDA

Meerut: Nearly two months after a special task force (STF) along with officials from food safety & drugs administration (FSDA) took samples from two sealed shops — allegedly selling adulterated items being passed off as dietary protein supplements in containers with labels of renowned companies — reports revealed that five samples out of the total six were misbranded.

Giving details, JP Singh, chief food safety officer, said, “The FSDA team collected as many as six samples, including 30 kg food supplement from the two shops in Khairnagar two months ago. The samples were sent to the testing laboratory in Lucknow. The reports reveal that five out of the total six samples are misbranded.”

The six samples were collected from Apollo Medical Store and Hindustan Sports Nutrition Store located in Khairnagar area in February, 2016. While all three samples taken from Apollo Medical Store, including 17 kg Kwik Size XXX, 13 kg Serious Mass Weigh Gain Supplement and Carbo 8000 food supplement were found misbranded. Of the three samples taken from Hindustan Sports Nutrition Store, two were misbranded. The samples were of Glucogen Ace and all in one Mega Amino Mass.

The samples were taken in the backdrop of information with the Uttar Pradesh STF about fake supplements being produced in various parts of western UP and sold to a number of health enthusiasts.

“The sample labels did not declare the name and address of the manufacturer and best before use date, making the items misbranded. A case will be registered against the shop owners and the matter will be taken to court,” added Singh.

The accused had earlier also confessed that they used to mix anabolic steroids, growth hormones etc. to boost muscular growth in protein supplements. “All these medicines are strictly prohibited except under strict medical supervision in special cases,” said Singh.